overdog

American  

[oh-ver-dawg, -dog] / ˈoʊ vərˌdɔg, -ˌdɒg /

noun

Informal.

1. a person who is dominant, in command, or has a significant advantage.

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Etymology

Origin of overdog

First recorded in 1905–10; over- + dog, modeled on underdog

Example Sentences

The ability to make us root for the overdog, after all, is one of the super-est superpowers that pop culture has.

From New York Times • Jun. 22, 2023

In six episodes, “Cheer” documents the lead-up to Daytona, and the series is a quick, compulsive watch, combining the savage thrill of watching an overdog dominate and the emotional pull of witnessing an underdog’s rise.

From The New Yorker • Jan. 16, 2020

With our help, TV summited Mount Respect, such that the aforementioned most powerful, lucrative, and popular mass medium of our time is no longer an underdog in any sense but an overdog many times over.

From Slate • Dec. 11, 2019

He had just been told that his opponent, New Orleans, is a 10 ½-point favorite — the biggest road overdog in NFL playoff history — to win Saturday's game.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 6, 2011

But with the release of the iPad, Apple is an overdog for the first time.

From Time • Apr. 1, 2010